PATERSON – Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly said he will attend a fund-raising event on Friday night for City Council President Andre Sayegh’s mayoral campaign.

Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly

But the popular football coach and recreation coordinator said his plans for Friday night should not be construed as an endorsement, adding that he has not yet decided whom he will support in the eight-person contest.
“Like most people in Paterson, my ears are still open,” said Wimberly.

The Sayegh event will be the first one in the city’s 2014 mayoral campaign attended by Wimberly, whose endorsement is generally viewed as a prize in the contest.

“I haven’t been invited to any others,” said the assemblyman, adding that he has received mass emails to various events but not personal invitations.

Wimberly said he would attend fund-raising events for some of the other candidates in the field, if asked to come. “I have great respect for Donna,” he said of Donna Nelson-Ivy, the city’s health and human services director. “She’s a friend, like Andre.”

But Wimberly acknowledged there are some candidates whose invitations he would decline. He would not say who they are.

In the city’s 2010 election, Wimberly was the top vote-getter when he ran and won an at-large council seat, which he later vacated to become a state legislator.
“His support would be significant to my campaign,” Sayegh said, calling Wimberly’s decision to attend his event “very encouraging.”

The event at the Valley Regency in Clifton is being run by a coalition of Arab-American community and business leaders, many of them from the 6th Ward that Sayegh currently represents. Sayegh said the suggested donation is $300, although attendees can give more or less than that. Political contributions made to Sayegh by 6th Ward business interests were highlighted in an article this week in the Paterson Times.

Wimberly said that one of the businessmen organizing Friday’s event asked him to come as his guest.

Sayegh said he had not invited the other two members of the city’s state legislative delegation – Sen. Nellie Pou and Asemblywoman Shavonda Sumter. Sayegh said he expected Pou to support former mayor Jose “Joey” Torres, while he said he considered Sumter “neutral” in the race.

When asked if Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. would be at the event, Sayegh said, “Maybe.” The congressman might have a commitment in Washington, D.C. that night, Sayegh said. Pascrell has not made a formal endorsement in the race, but other candidates say the congressman is behind Sayegh.

Sumter, who managed Mayor Jeffery Jones’ successful campaign in 2010, said she has decided not to endorse anyone this year. “They’re all Democrats and I’ve worked with all of them,” she said, when asked to explain her decision.

Wimberly’s phone may start ringing as word gets out about his plans to go to the Sayegh fund-raiser. Four other candidates – Maria Teresa Feliciano, David Gilmore, former councilman Aslon Goow Sr., and Councilman Rigo Rodriguez – all said they planted to invite him to upcoming events.

“I’m not asking for his endorsement, but I expect him to come,” said Rodriguez.

“Absolutely, I want him to come,” said Feliciano.

“He’s entitled to go wherever he wants,” said Gilmore.
Goow said he didn’t invite any elected officials to his first fund-raiser. “I didn’t want the politicians there, it was about the people of Paterson,” he said. But Goow added that he planned to ask political figures to his next event.

Nelson-Ivy, meanwhile, seemed surprised by Wimberly’s plans to attend Sayegh’s event. “What can I say? That’s nice of him,” Nelson-Ivy said. “I had a fund-raiser. He didn’t come. I didn’t know I had to do a personal invitation.”

But the popular football coach and recreation coordinator said his plans for Friday night should not be construed as an endorsement, adding that he has not yet decided whom he will support in the eight-person contest.
“Like most people in Paterson, my ears are still open,” said Wimberly.

The Sayegh event will be the first one in the city’s 2014 mayoral campaign attended by Wimberly, whose endorsement is generally viewed as a prize in the contest.

“I haven’t been invited to any others,” said the assemblyman, adding that he has received mass emails to various events but not personal invitations.

Wimberly said he would attend fund-raising events for some of the other candidates in the field, if asked to come. “I have great respect for Donna,” he said of Donna Nelson-Ivy, the city’s health and human services director. “She’s a friend, like Andre.”

But Wimberly acknowledged there are some candidates whose invitations he would decline. He would not say who they are.

In the city’s 2010 election, Wimberly was the top vote-getter when he ran and won an at-large council seat, which he later vacated to become a state legislator.
“His support would be significant to my campaign,” Sayegh said, calling Wimberly’s decision to attend his event “very encouraging.”

The event at the Valley Regency in Clifton is being run by a coalition of Arab-American community and business leaders, many of them from the 6th Ward that Sayegh currently represents. Sayegh said the suggested donation is $300, although attendees can give more or less than that. Political contributions made to Sayegh by 6th Ward business interests were highlighted in an article this week in the Paterson Times.

Wimberly said that one of the businessmen organizing Friday’s event asked him to come as his guest.

Sayegh said he had not invited the other two members of the city’s state legislative delegation – Sen. Nellie Pou and Asemblywoman Shavonda Sumter. Sayegh said he expected Pou to support former mayor Jose “Joey” Torres, while he said he considered Sumter “neutral” in the race.

When asked if Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. would be at the event, Sayegh said, “Maybe.” The congressman might have a commitment in Washington, D.C. that night, Sayegh said. Pascrell has not made a formal endorsement in the race, but other candidates say the congressman is behind Sayegh.

Sumter, who managed Mayor Jeffery Jones’ successful campaign in 2010, said she has decided not to endorse anyone this year. “They’re all Democrats and I’ve worked with all of them,” she said, when asked to explain her decision.

Wimberly’s phone may start ringing as word gets out about his plans to go to the Sayegh fund-raiser. Four other candidates – Maria Teresa Feliciano, David Gilmore, former councilman Aslon Goow Sr., and Councilman Rigo Rodriguez – all said they planted to invite him to upcoming events.

“I’m not asking for his endorsement, but I expect him to come,” said Rodriguez.

“Absolutely, I want him to come,” said Feliciano.

“He’s entitled to go wherever he wants,” said Gilmore.
Goow said he didn’t invite any elected officials to his first fund-raiser. “I didn’t want the politicians there, it was about the people of Paterson,” he said. But Goow added that he planned to ask political figures to his next event.

Nelson-Ivy, meanwhile, seemed surprised by Wimberly’s plans to attend Sayegh’s event. “What can I say? That’s nice of him,” Nelson-Ivy said. “I had a fund-raiser. He didn’t come. I didn’t know I had to do a personal invitation.”